Add parallel Print Page Options

Women Who Helped Jesus

Soon after this, Jesus was going through towns and villages, telling the good news about God's kingdom. His twelve apostles were with him, (A) and so were some women who had been healed of evil spirits and all sorts of diseases. One of the women was Mary Magdalene,[a] who once had seven demons in her. Joanna, Susanna, and many others had also used what they owned to help Jesus[b] and his disciples. Joanna's husband Chuza was one of Herod's officials.[c]

A Story about a Farmer

(Matthew 13.1-9; Mark 4.1-9)

When a large crowd from several towns had gathered around Jesus, he told them this story:

A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field. While the farmer was doing this, some of the seeds fell along the road and were stepped on or eaten by birds. Other seeds fell on rocky ground and started growing. But the plants did not have enough water and soon dried up. Some other seeds fell where thornbushes grew up and choked the plants. The rest of the seeds fell on good ground where they grew and produced a hundred times as many seeds.

When Jesus had finished speaking, he said, “If you have ears, pay attention!”

Why Jesus Used Stories

(Matthew 13.10-17; Mark 4.10-12)

Jesus' disciples asked him what the story meant. 10 (B) So he answered:

I have explained the secrets about God's kingdom to you. But for others I use stories, so they will look, but not see, and they will hear, but not understand.

Jesus Explains the Story about a Farmer

(Matthew 13.18-23; Mark 4.13-20)

11 This is what the story means: The seed is God's message, 12 and the seeds that fell along the road are the people who hear the message. But the devil comes and snatches the message out of their hearts, so they will not believe and be saved. 13 The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it. But they don't have deep roots, and they believe only for a little while. As soon as life gets hard, they give up.

14 The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. But they are so eager for riches and pleasures that they never produce anything. 15 Those seeds that fell on good ground are the people who listen to the message and keep it in good and honest hearts. They last and produce a harvest.

Light

(Mark 4.21-25)

16 (C) No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl or under a bed. A lamp is always put on a lampstand, so people who come into a house will see the light. 17 (D) There is nothing hidden that will not be found. There is no secret that will not be well known. 18 (E) Pay attention to how you listen! Everyone who has something will be given more, but people who have nothing will lose what little they think they have.

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

(Matthew 12.46-50; Mark 3.31-35)

19 Jesus' mother and brothers went to see him, but because of the crowd they could not get near him. 20 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you.”

21 Jesus answered, “My mother and my brothers are those people who hear and obey God's message.”

A Storm

(Matthew 8.23-27; Mark 4.35-41)

22 One day, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat, and he said, “Let's cross the lake.”[d] They started out, 23 and while they were sailing across, he went to sleep.

Suddenly a storm struck the lake, and the boat started sinking. They were in danger. 24 So they went to Jesus and woke him up, “Master, Master! We are about to drown!”

Jesus got up and ordered the wind and waves to stop. They obeyed, and everything was calm. 25 Then Jesus asked the disciples, “Don't you have any faith?”

But they were frightened and amazed. They said to each other, “Who is this? He can give orders to the wind and the waves, and they obey him!”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 8.2 Magdalene: Meaning “from Magdala,” a small town on the western shore of Lake Galilee. There is no hint that she is the sinful woman in 7.36-50.
  2. 8.3 used what they owned to help Jesus: Women often helped Jewish teachers by giving them money.
  3. 8.3 Herod's officials: Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great.
  4. 8.22 cross the lake: To the eastern shore of Lake Galilee, where most of the people were not Jewish.

Bible Gateway Recommends